


Runaway

by DreamStar37



Category: Smundig
Genre: Animal Death, Origin Story, Other, Past Abuse, Sig!Raven's backstory, basically how they got to Smundig, brine - Freeform, someone save this child
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-03-17 17:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13664214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamStar37/pseuds/DreamStar37
Summary: Raven's backstory, starting at age 11 when they ran away from home, and how they came to work at Smundig Corp.





	1. New Beginnings

The unforgiving wind bit at a child's face, they shivered, pulling the old green blanket tighter around their thin frame. It would start snowing soon, the late October chill freezing the ground solid. The child sighed, watching their breath puff out in the frigid air, it was a bad time to be homeless.  
A part of them wanted to turn back, to go home where they at least had shelter and a warm bed.  
...No, it was too late now. If they went home now, things would just get worse, the mere thought of facing the consequences of running away made it hard to breath. This was fine, they'd survived this far by themself anyway, who even needs useless things like a home or family, they definitely weren't crying right now.  
A missing child poster caught their attention, rubbing the tears away they took a closer look. A school picture, brushed hair and clean clothes, beaming smiles full of child-like innocence... a paper stranger.  
It wasn't them, not yet at least. Soon though, their face would be displayed around the city, just another child that had fallen through the cracks. They rubbed at the long brown hair obscuring their vision, chewing on their shirt collar in thought. As much as they didn't want to, the hair had to go. Glancing around the dark alley, the glint of light off glass made them pause. Tugging down the sleeve of their hoodie, they picked up a larger shard of glass and began chopping at the hair.

The back of their neck and ears felt cold, it was a strange feeling. Their hair had never been this short before, it was weird no longer feeling the weight of it when they turned their head, the short locks tickling their neck. They'd stared at the reflection in the broken glass for a long time, without all that hair, the bruises around their throat stood out. Thinking about it made their stomach churn, invisible fingers and just not enough oxygen. But it was over now, they'd sooner die on the street than go back home. Leaving everything behind, good and bad... it had been a difficult decision. A change of identity was in order, what was that saying..? Ah yes, _'new year, new you'_ , right. It wasn't the new year yet, but it might as well be. A new name was needed, they'd never like the old one anyway.  
...This was hard, what would they even go by? Staring at the reflection again, they looked deep into their own eyes... They felt broken, like nothing, a nobody. It didn't really matter if they had a name, if there was nobody to use it. With a sigh, they looked down at their cold, scarred hands.  
That settled it then, they were Nobody.

They shook their head, there was still work to do.

...

The city wasn't exactly big, but it wasn't small either. Shoving their hands deeper in their pockets, they wandered. A handful of slim-jims and crackers, and a half empty bottle of water was all they had, there had to be more food somewhere... those dumpsters looked promising-  
The sound of a door slamming open startled them, jumping back into the shadow of the trash in fear. A young man walked out into the alley, a bag of garbage thrown over one shoulder. He chucked it forward towards the dumpster, barely missing Nobody by inches and causing them to jump away with a cry. The man startled, staring at the child in concern.

"Woah! What the heck are you doing there?!" He yelled in surprise, causing them to flinch back. They stared at each other for a long minute, before the man sighed.

"Are you... where's your parents? A kid like you shouldn't be out alone right now" He sounded sad, looking up and down the dim alleyway for any other adult, but they were alone. Just a small, dirty child and one confused adult. Nobody held themself back, forcing their eyes to remain dark, the glowing would only scare the man more, he was only human after all. He looked back to them with a deep frown.

"Okay just... wait there for a sec, alright?" As the man ran back inside, Nobody tilted their head to the side in confusion. Looking down the alley, it was tempting to just run away. Could this man be trusted? Before they could decide, he was back, a bundle of something in hand. Crouching down, he held out the object with a sad smile. Warily, they crept forward, eyes never leaving the man.  
Before he could have a chance to take it away, they snatched it out of his hands, being careful not to touch him, and inspected it closely. It was a handkerchief, wrapped around a small tupperware container.

"I know it's not much, but... I hope you like spoon roast-"  
Nobody ripped the lid off, immediately chewing on some of the cold meat. Remembering where they were though, they swallowed uneasily. Putting the rest back in the container and stuffing it in their hoodie pocket, they glanced up at the man.

"...Thank you" they mumbled, before turning and running away down the alley. The man tried to call them back, but they were already turning the corner.

...

Their sense of direction had never been the best, and being in a labyrinth of unfamiliar alleys didn't help. By this point the sun had set, but they didn't really mind. Nobody's eyes casting a faint green glow, the night time surroundings clear as day.  
They crept near the walls, breathing low through their mouth as silently as possible. The memory of scolding still fresh, a glowy eyed child made most normal humans run and scream. They hated the sound.

Movement caught the child's eye, and they blinked the light from their vision. It was an older woman, shuffling down the alley towards them, though she hadn't noticed the other yet. They stayed still, watching her carefully, they could probably just stay still and remain undetected...  
Without warning, the woman keeled sideways, hitting the brick wall hard. Nobody panicked, running to her side without a second thought. She was much too thin, face gaunt and dirty... staring forward at Nobody like they weren't even there. She looked like she hadn't eaten in a long time. Nobody frowned, patting their pocket indecisively. As tasty as the beef was, and as much as they wanted to eat it, she needed it more.  
Pulling out the container and unwrapping it, they held it out to the woman. She breathed in, eyes focusing slowly as she looked down at the offering. Looking back and forth between the child and the food, finally, she slowly took the container in shaky hands.  
Nobody watched her eat in silence, after finishing the majority of the meal, she handed it back. They hadn't expected her to leave any, but quickly rewrapped the container and stuffed it back in the pocket before she changed her mind.  
She was smiling, a grandmotherly kind of look about her. Before Nobody could react, the woman wrapped her arms around them tightly in a hug, whispering _'thank you, thank you, thank you...'_ They froze, staring up at the sky in shock. The line between past and present blurred, it was suddenly hard to breathe, _to think-_  
Lurching away with a growl, Nobody felt their eyes light up intensely, illuminating the small alley. The woman was no longer smiling, instead shielding her eyes in fear.  
Too late, Nobody realized their mistake, managing to choke out a sobbed _"sorry"_ before running yet again.

...

Abandoned houses were a common sight in this part of the city, Nobody managed crawled in through a broken window of one such house, before collapsing in a corner. They were shaking violently now, eyes glowing bright in panic. They scratched at their arms, the feeling of the hug still lingering, invisible hands and empty words, no more, _no more..._ Curling forward, they hugged themself tight and rocked slowly, taking in deep wheezing breaths. It was over now, it was fine...

_They were fine..._


	2. Monster

Waking up was always a slow process. Nobody stared blankly at the dusty basement, vision still blurred from sleep. They waited for the feeling in their limbs to return, sitting up stiffly after several minutes.  
They'd been gone for a whole day now, surely someone was looking for them by now. Going outside without the cover of night would probably be a bad idea...  
Nobody's stomach grumbled, and they finished off the leftover meat from yesterday. While they were here, exploring might be fun. With a grin, they ran around the small space, jumping over the abandoned furniture in glee. A bag of old laundry sat piled in one corner, and Nobody dug through it. Most of the clothes were much too big, but near the bottom was a long blue scarf. After wrapping it loosely around their neck, they upended the bag of laundry onto the floor, and stuffed the now empty bag into their pocket.

There wasn't much else in the basement, so Nobody ran up the stairs on all fours into what looked like a kitchen. Just as dusty as the basement, some of the cupboards were slightly ajar. A search of the entire kitchen yielded nothing but dead bugs, even more dust, and an empty beer can... _Blah._  
The windows are all boarded up, but they still make sure to crouch when passing them, you never know when someone may be watching. The house didn't have much, but it was clear no one else had been here in a long time.  
All of the bedrooms were completely bare of furniture, the closets were a similar story. In one closet, though, a plank of wood was nailed to the wall. Crouching down, Nobody pulls the board off the wall, revealing a dark empty space. They allow their eyes to glow bright, illuminating the tiny room and leaning forward into the crawlspace, looking around in wonder. The scrawled drawings of a child litter the walls, extra blank pages and crayons stacked neatly to the side. An old brown blanket covers the floor, multiple pillows tossed in a corner. Sitting on top of the pillows is a small purple dragon toy, Nobody slowly crawls forward, grabbing the toy and feeling it's soft fabric in awe.  
They'd always loved stuffed animals, they could always hug them as much as they wanted and never feel trapped. The material usually a gentle texture, easy on their sensitive skin. But, none of their toys ever lasted long. There had been one too many occasions where they'd gotten home after school, and found their bedroom trashed. Toys pulled apart, any and all drawings ripped to shreds. At some point, they'd just gotten used to it and given up. So, to be able to have a toy again, and to be able to draw again... they definitely were *not* crying right now.  
Rubbing their eyes angrily, Nobody sighs, hugging the small plush dragon to their chest. This little hidey-hole was perfect. It felt calm here, Nobody didn't want to give up the safety of a home again. Scooting forward, they grab the crayons and some of the blank paper, drawing anything and everything their heart desires. A happy family, lots of friends who like them, an animal companion to cuddle with. Everything they've ever wanted, on paper for the world to see. And by the world, they mean just themself, considering there was no one else to show anyways.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Food is essential to being alive, and while Nobody still had a bit of food left, they knew it wouldn't last very long. Sure, they could just eat non-edible things, it's not like it could kill them anymore, but those tasted gross. The last time they'd eaten wood chips, splinters had gotten stuck in their teeth for days. Once the wooden board was placed back on the wall, securing their new home from sight, they were off. The sun was long since set, and Nobody crawled out the window they'd first entered, slinking silently towards the city.  
Staying low to the ground, Nobody makes it to an empty alley, fresh trash littering the ground along the walls. They keep to all fours, eyes glowing faint enough to see, but not to alarm any who may be watching. As far as any humans knew, Nobody was just another stray dog looking for it's next meal. The smell of garbage was overwhelming to their heightened senses, so they quickly pull their scarf up over their nose, tying the fabric tightly so it doesn't slip. They could still smell way too much even with the added protection, one trash can smelled better than the others. Careful not to make too much noise, they pull the lid off the can, hopping up to reach inside. Almost landing face first in filth, they quickly hold themself up with their hands, short legs kicking uselessly at the air.  
It doesn't really matter what they pick, heck, they could eat the trash bag itself and be totally fine. Ever since their powers kicked in to overdrive, it seemed nothing could kill them. They could eat non-food items without a problem, things that should have killed them were ineffective... and believe them, they had tried. Throwing their tiny body full speed down the stairs, eating any item they could get their grubby little hands on- much to the shock and disapproval of their parents. But for whatever reason, they just couldn't die anymore. They could still get hurt and sick, but what would normally kill a child of their size simply left them dazed.  
Though, if they had to eat another freaking piece of plastic they swore they were going to puke on everything their parents loved. Which, would include everything except themself- _ouch,_ self burn. They really needed to talk to someone soon, being alone just meant they had only themself to converse with, which always led to self-burning.  
_Hmmm..._ What do we have here. Some overripe bananas, a half empty yogurt cup, some stale pringles. Yanking down their scarf, Nobody immediately shoves the less spoiled food in their mouth. It was gonna go bad anyway, not like they could carry it with them.

A sudden shout causes them to nearly choke on the apple core they'd been nibbling on, startling them so bad they flinch violently enough to topple the trash can. Before they have a chance to reorient, a heavy object collides with the top of their head painfully. With a strangled yelp, they crawl backwards, blinking wide eyed up at the angry human.  
"What the hell do you think you're doing going through my trash, you little brat?! You're lucky I don't call the cops!" She screams with a broom raised threateningly, and in rage takes another swing, hitting them in the side of the face. They fall hard on the pavement, and Nobody holds their hands up above their face, trying to block the blows as the human screams at them in rage. In a fit of desperation, they allow their eyes to glow as bright as possible, blinding the woman just long enough for them to scramble to their feet. She shrieks, now swinging wildly. _"MONSTER! A MONSTER!!!"_  
Nobody takes off full speed down the alley, running until they can no longer hear the woman's cries. They don't stop running until they're far, far away, finally slowing near the edge of the city, panting in exhaustion. Their breath hitches as Nobody tries not to cry, this was harder than they thought; being alone with no one to protect you but yourself. Their cheek stings, and silently they bring a shaking hand up. The spot where the broom had hit was bleeding slightly. They sniffle, pulling the dragon plush out of their pocket and hugging it tightly, before walking home.  
They couldn't risk anyone finding their new hiding spot, so Nobody had to be extra careful they weren't followed. As silent as the night, they moved through the darkness like it was a part of them, steps never wavering. Without a word, they slide through the window into the basement, and up to their secret home. Securing the wooden board behind them, Nobody curls up in the pillow pile under their trusty blanket, and waits for sleep to come.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...Huh? Where is this? Blinking slowly, they look around. This... this was their old bedroom? The walls painted blue, glow in the dark stars littering the ceiling, room light burning dimly above their head. But... all the furniture was thrown around, posters ripped off the walls, chair upended in the corner, holes punched in the wall. This felt bad, they didn't want to be here anymore.  
Turning to leave, Nobody reaches out to grab the doorknob when heavy footsteps from the hall startle them. Instantly, their heart is racing, and they keel forward, grabbing the doorknob and bracing their feet on the carpet. Back against the door, Nobody holds onto the doorknob for dear life as it turns, shaking violently. Then the noise starts, the person on the other side throwing their body against the door in rage, screaming bloody murder.  
"YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME THIS TIME, _FAOLAN!"_ He screams, slamming into the door so violently that it opens an inch, Nobody quickly curls in on themself, kicking frantically at the floor to regain lost ground. A moment of silence, before the door jolting again throws them forward with a splintering crunch. They scramble to run, but a heavy weight landing on top of them squashes any hope of escape. Blinding pain leaves them wheezing, can't breathe, _can't breathe-_

_...They're dead, they're dead and he's killed them._

With a gasp, they're awake. Nobody tries to sit up, to raise their hand, to do _anything..._ But they can't move, they feeling of invisible hands holding them down lingers, wrapped around their throat. Silently, they sob into the darkness of the crawlspace.  
That name... they just can't seem to get away from it. It's over, that's not them anymore, but... Well, on the bright side, their family didn't have to deal with them anymore. Now that they'd run away, maybe things were better. Everything had gone wrong after... maybe it was their fault. Their memories had gotten jumbled since then, everything from before seemed so much better. Now though, they wouldn't be a burden on anyone, they could survive alone. They had to...

After all, monsters don't need friends or family, right?


	3. Thirteen

It's been just under 2 years since Nobody ran away; 2 long years of dodging CPS, eating anything they could find, fighting to survive, and sleeping in a crawlspace. The crawlspace which was currently shaking up a storm. If the noise hadn't woken them up, then the chunks of ceiling landing on their head would have.   
As fast as they can, Nobody grabs all their possessions, stuffing their pockets full before throwing themself at the wooden board and out of the crawlspace. The floor crumbles beneath them, walls toppling with a deafening crash as they run, leaping out a second story window in a spray of broken glass. They land hard on their shoulder, rolling a good distance away before hitting a tree. They lay there for a moment, panting in pain.  
Powerless, Nobody watches as their home is destroyed by a construction crew, oblivious to their plight. They knew this day was coming, but it still hurt.  
"...Happy birthday, me..." They mumble ruefully, before standing up and dusting themself off. Somehow, none of the glass managed to cut them, how surprisingly typical.  
"HEY! Whaddya think you're doing there, kid?! This area is off limits!" A man yells over the machinery, Nobody immediately recognizes the outfit, he's a cop. He takes a step towards them, but they turn and run before he can get any closer. _"Wh-_ Get back here!" He yells, chasing them farther from the city and into the surrounding forest.  
Snaking through the dense forest, the officer chases Nobody farther in. But he's having difficulty, while paths seem to open easily for Nobody, they can hear him tripping and getting hit with branches. They vault over the dead fall with ease, practically soaring through the vegetation, and soon enough they can no longer hear the man following them. However, they don't know how to get back, either... Whoops.

This was okay though, despite being lost in the forest, Nobody wasn't afraid. If anything, they felt safer than they had in a long while, even more so than their makeshift home. The forest felt right, like it was a part of them. They hadn't been this far into the woods since they were 7, after the incident their family had decided to stop going camping.   
The forest sang to them, little sounds, birdsong and wind chimes. They grinned, eyes glowing bright in mirth as they sang back. Nonsense sounds and words, life and death, everything and nothing.  
They felt a spark bloom in their chest, brilliant bright greens and yellows, humming in tune to their howls. Wide eyed, Nobody watches the energy dance around them. They let it guide their steps, as it had so many times before, only now were they able to see.  
They stalk along the ground on all fours, the soft moss obscuring any sounds. They can let their eyes glow as bright as they want here, everything was green and absolutely _wonderful._ With a chirp, they leap forward and roll around in the dirt, digging their fingers through the moist soil. Their chest rumbles in excitement, somewhere between a purr and a growl.

The sound of a bird loudly _CAWing_ above makes them pause, rolling over onto their back and staring up. It's a large black bird, watching them with beady eyes.   
"Caw! Cawcaw!" Nobody chirps, prompting the bird to ruffle it's feathers before flying down closer. What kind of bird was this? Nobody was sure they'd seen one before, on one of their many visits to the local library. Maybe it was a crow? Red winged blackbird? Raven?  
The bird caws again, low pitched and croaky. They mimic the sound, voice rumbling happily.  
"Raven?" They call softly, and the bird swoops down to land on their head. "If you're a raven, then I am too!" They laugh as the bird pecks at their hair. Raven, that's a nice name, better than the name Nobody. That settles it then, from now on, they were Raven!

Suddenly, the sound of leaves rustling startles the two, causing the bird to fly away in a flurry of feathers. Raven freezes, looking around in fear for the source of the noise. Light glinting off of purple scales and sharp talons, disappearing into the foliage with a dangerous golden glow. Raven holds their breath, flattening themself to the ground in fear. Whatever that was, it was big and powerful, a predator?  
Silently, Raven crawls backwards under a log to wait. They can still hear the sound of wings flapping, displaced leaves fluttering about to the ground. This was not their territory, other such beasts hunted here it seemed. Slinking low on all fours, they sneak away, a strange yet familiar tugging sensation someplace deep in their chest.   
They kept sneaking, long after they'd first seen the other predator, farther into the forest. Every step felt predestined, like they didn't even have to think about it. This was the same as living in the city, if they wanted to survive they were going to have to be a predator too. Ever so slowly, Raven approaches a fallen oak, their sensitive hearing picking up the faint sounds of an animal. Without hesitation, they lunge forward, shoving their arm under the log and grabbing around blindly. They catch something warm and fuzzy, pulling out a small field mouse. Catching mice was easy, in the past they'd go out and snatch them from the ground for fun before releasing them. Raven frowns, they don't want to kill anything...  
They watch as the mouse struggles in their grasp, biting frantically and drawing small amounts of blood. With a frown, Raven ends the struggle as swift as possible. If they wanted to survive in this world, killing was inevitable. They eat the mouse whole, fur and all, before moving on.

In the end, it's either the mouse or them...

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven waits with bated breath, holding perfectly still on the tree branch as they watch the forest floor below. Thinking is not necessary, all they need to do is wait. After what feels like forever, something changes, the bushes rustling slightly. A small deer walks forward, antlers parting the vegetation with ease. Slowly, the deer walks directly below Raven's tree. In an instant, they drop on top of the unsuspecting animal, wrapping their small arms around it's neck as it begins to buck wildly.   
_"Just_ \- lemme kill ya!" Raven hisses, grappling with the panicked animal. They lose grip for a second, falling backwards slightly, and without warning the deer jerks it's head to the side. It's antlers slam into Raven's chest with a sickening crunch, sending them flying backwards onto the ground. As a final parting gift, it kicks angrily, landing a solid blow on the side of Raven's head as they try to stand. All they can do is stay down as their prey escapes, breathing shallowly against the pain.

Trying to go after such a large animal was a costly mistake, they'd only just started hunting after all. But they were hungry, bones and joints aching constantly. A restless energy flowing through their marrow, ebbing and churning to an invisible tune, the shadows of leaves on a child's face.  
On the days they couldn't find food, the days they ate anything just to not feel hungry, the energy went cold. It never left, but rather felt wrong, like the ghosting memory of a stomach ache settled deep in their bones... Well, laying here wasn't going to change anything, now was it?  
Taking care to not further damage their ribs, Raven slowly sits up, gently wiping the blood from their eyes. Managing to drag themself across the clearing, they claw at the frozen dirt beneath the tree until their fingers go from raw to numb. Finally, they collapse under the tree, it's roots wrapping the child in a cool embrace. They kick at the loose soil, partially blocking the makeshift dens entrance before curling into a shaky ball, breath puffing out in a misty fog. Mesmerized, they watch the frost patterns dance in the dim light, beckoning. Eyes fluttering closed, Raven lets out a wheezing breath, and falls asleep.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Voices. Some they remember, and some they don't. Faces too, blurred and distorted with time, unrecognizable.   
But the feeling is still there, every night, different scenarios with the same feeling. Always afraid, always running, and never ever safe.   
Empty spaces in their head, like a picture left out in the sun for too long, much too long. Memories of what once was and what should be... What could have been.

_But it wasn't._

Children playing on the other side of a chain link fence, so loud, always so loud.  
A child, alone in the cold, sitting silently in the snow. It's cold, but that's alright.

_They've never felt warmer in their life._

.  
.  
.

Is it time to go home yet, mom? I'm cold.


	4. Thief

Every step was agonizing, sending a jolt of pain through their system, but they keep going. The forest is kind, showing it's child the easiest way through the dense foliage, towards the city. Until they learned to hunt, the city would provide an easy meal. A meal that wasn't garbage, garbage doesn't heal wounds.  
They'd managed to sleep off some of the damage from yesterday; hair sticking out in wild directions with dirt and dried blood, ribs throbbing to the pulse of their heart, but they were still alive. They were always still alive. Alive but not whole, though. In the scramble a tooth had been knocked loose, luckily not one of the nice sharp ones, just a molar. Now it sat in their pocket like a stone, a reminder, they could still taste copper on their tongue.  
Raven stumbles into an alley, sticking to the shadows as best they can. Their eyes glow softly on instinct, and no matter how much they blink it doesn't seem to want to fade. They watch the green reflect off their surroundings, despite the fact they were easier to spot, the color feels oddly comforting. Like an old friend, something they could always rely on, something safe.

Silently, they pull the old blue scarf up over their head, hiding the most obvious injury from view. To any curious human, they were just another homeless child.  
The day time bustle is overwhelming, the sound rolling over their shaking frame like crashing waves. Always so loud, almost like it was a living entity hellbent on tormenting their senses. Gripping their tattered blanket tightly, Raven pitches forward into the crowd. Immediately, they are swept up, practically being shoved forward by the busy people. Not a single one notices the injured child, too caught up in their own routine.  
They can only follow where the crowd leads, not enough energy to fight the flow. Eventually, they manage to escape, shrinking back against a building and looking around. They're in what appears to be a market, multiple tents lined up in haphazard rows. The scent of food is overpowering, causing their stomach to growl loudly. So much food was right in front of their nose, but it was just out of reach. Humans wanted money in exchange, and Raven had nothing. Their hands clench against the blanket fabric, if they wanted to eat they were gonna have to steal.  
Stealing was easier than hunting, that was for sure. But it also meant dealing with a less than pleased former-owner-of-stolen-item.

But if Raven had to chose between stealing or dying, well... The choice was obvious, wasn't it.  
...That didn't make what they were about to do any easier, though.

Pushing away from the wall, Raven rejoins the crowd, eyeing the food stalls with envy. One stall displaying sparkling wind chimes looks interesting, all gentle sounds and pretty sparkles. Raven shakes their head to clear the thought, pretty things were a want, not a need. And right now they needed food, preferably meat. There were plenty of food items here, but they needed something big enough to last. Finally, one catches their attention; a stall selling cooked turkey legs. Their pace quickens, snagging one of the larger meats before hurrying away.  
"Wh- HEY! THIEF!!!" The stall owner yells over the crowd. With a panicked gasp, Raven flees, ducking into an alley as the yelling continues. Luckily, no one chases them, they doubt they could run very fast in their current state. They slow to a jog as soon as possible, ribs throbbing sharply with every step. Once they're far enough away, Raven plops down behind a dumpster and holds the still warm meat up. They eat it as fast as possible, barely breathing as they wolf down the meat in less than five minutes. Once they're done, Raven gnaws on the bone in silence.

Already, they could feel a surge of power ebbing through their marrow, eyes glowing a tiny bit brighter in response. It wasn't great, but it was a start at the very least.  
Just then, movement out of the corner of their eye startles Raven out of their thoughts. They flinch, both away from the other person and from the sudden stab of pain from moving so fast. It's another child, much younger than Raven, with a mop of messy blonde hair and curious silver eyes.  
"Hey, you done with that bone?" He asks, voice rattling and eyes glowing dimly against the harsh sunlight. Raven blinks slowly, glancing down at the gnawed on bone before carefully holding it out. The boy grabs it, both of them watching each other warily for any sign of danger. "Thanks, I'm Bone by the way, as you can probably tell-" He chuckles, waving the bone slightly before sticking it in his pocket.  
"...'m Raven..." Raven mumbles, fidgeting with their shirt collar nervously. Bone grins happily, the light glinting off his knife sharp baby teeth, and Raven grins back. His clothes were much too big for him, a large black hoodie falling to nearly his knees, much too young to be out here alone. But then again, so were they.  
"Raven? D'you collect birds?" He tilts his head, nearly toppling sideways with how far he leans. Raven blinks, watching the boy move with interest. He seemed like them, glowing eyes and sharp teeth. And his way of moving was similar too, a strange shambling gait and unnatural jerkiness to his movements, like he was constantly working to not fall over.  
Raven feels a sort of kinship with this boy, something they don't usually get. Whatever Bone and Raven were, it certainly wasn't human, not anymore. In relief, they allow their eyes to glow brightly.  
"Oh, you glow too! Y'know what that means?" Bone hops forward a bit, waving his hands in excitement. Raven shuffles back, feeling very much cornered all of a sudden. "That means we're glow buddies!"  
"Glow buddies?" Raven perks up, fear disapating as they edge forward slowly. Bone nods his head happily, stumbling backwards a bit.  
"Yep, Leader's always sayin' how we gotta stick t'gether!" He chirps, beckoning Raven to follow him as he begins walking. They stand as quickly as they can, taking care to mind their ribs, and begin following Bone down the alleyway. "Leader says a lotta things, like how we're different but don't gotta be alone. An' how people call us monsters cause they're afraid."  
Raven listens to Bone babble on about this 'leader' in silence. There were more like them? That was... a lot to take in. They'd gone so long being alone, so long thinking this was how it was always going to be. A picture waving in the wind catches their attention, a missing poster tacked onto a brick wall, surrounded by a constellation of other faces. Raven feels their breath freeze in their lungs, solidifying like smoke and making them cough lightly.  
It was them, or at least, who they used to be. They've seen a lot of missing posters for them in the past two years, but it was still a shock. How they used to look, long hair full of knots, carefully hidden bruises and a frowning face despite the school photographers best intentions. A surge of anger ignites in their lungs, setting the smoke ablaze as they rip the poster off the wall and crumple it up. In a fit of anger, they stuff the foul tasting paper into their mouth and chew it to shreds, swallowing uneasily.  
"Yeah! Take that, paper!" Bone shrieks, giggling loudly as he rips a paper off the wall as well and takes a big bite out of it. Spurred on by his energy, Raven rips more paper off the wall, ripping them up at first angrily but eventually in joy. The two keep going until the entire wall is cleared, scraps of paper flying about uselessly through the air. Bone's laughter is contagious, and for the first time in forever Raven finds themself laughing too.  
"C'mon, we're almost home!" Bone trills, grabbing Raven's hand and dragging them through a loose board in a fence.  
"Home..?" Raven breathes, excitement fluttering in their chest like their namesake. After a few more twists and turns, Bone stops right outside a large abandoned factory. It looks ominous, broken glass littering the yellowed grass, hollowed out and empty. Bone knocks on the door lightly, pressing his ear to it for a moment before smiling.  
"Wait out here for a sec, m'kay?" He grins, ducking through the door with a click. Raven shirts their weight from side to side impatiently, listening to the muffled voices inside talk. They can just barely hear what's being said through the heavy metal door.  
"Leader, I found another! They glow too!" Raven hears Bone say, his footsteps echoing lightly.  
"What're they like?" Someone asks, their voice low and gravelly.  
"They safe though? You weren't followed, right?" A gruff voice hisses, slightly cracking and varying in pitch, like they were trying to sound tough.  
"Yup yup! Safe an' sound outside th' door-" Bone trills, his footsteps approaching again. Raven takes a step back, watching the door open as Bone appears, beckoning them in. Careful not to make any sudden movements, Raven shuffles into the building, looking around cautiously.  
They're greeted by two other children, an older girl with tangled brown hair sits up on a dusty machine, dangling her legs. The other is a teenage boy with short curly black hair, he stands in the middle of the room with his arms crossed, watching Raven suspiciously. Perched on his shoulder is a large scruffy rat, grey fur sticking up in all directions as it watches Raven with beady eyes.  
"Hey." He says, nearly black eyes narrowed slightly. This must be the 'leader' that Bone was talking about.  
"...Hullo." They look away, eyes darting around the room at anything and everything.  
"You lookin' to join us?" He tilts his head  
"Guess so." Raven shrugs, slumping their shoulders to make themself look smaller.  
The boy stays silent for a long while, until finally he nods to himself, seemingly satisfied. "Alright then, you can call me Rat. She's Alley, and you already know Bone here." Rat gestures to the girl behind him, and she gives a small wave. "An' this here's Scruffs." He gestures to the rat, which squeaks in greeting. "How bout you?"  
Can these kids be trusted? Well, it was too late to back out now, and it's not like they could use Raven's name against them anyway. "...Raven, I'm Raven."  
"Raven? Heh, I would say that sounds stupid, but honestly all of our names do. Whatever, welcome to the team." Rat grins, holding out his hand in offering.  
Raven shuffles forward, hesitating for a moment before shaking his hand. They can see wariness in his dark eyes, and they make sure he knows its mutual. This would be an uneasy alliance, they didn't trust Raven and Raven didn't trust them. But hopefully, they would all be able to earn that trust, if not... Well, they'd survived without friends for this long already.  
Guess they would just have to see how this played out.


	5. Warmth

Raven soars silently through the foliage, hands and feet thumping against the soft ground as they run. There is no need to think, the forest shows it's child exactly where to go, an invisible tug deep in their soul.  
The hare they were stalking was not so lucky, it didn't even know where they were. Raven stills atop a fallen log, holding themself low to the ground as they scope out the clearing. The hare's ears rotate, standing on it's hind legs and listening intently. Raven holds their breath, before kicking off from the log and extending their arms. The hare doesn't even get a chance to flee before Raven grabs it, ending the struggle before it even begins.  
Raven tries to control their rapid breathing, panting as they stuff the hare into their backpack. They'd managed to catch five hares today, that should be enough. With a decisive nod, they take off once again through the forest, this time with a destination; home. As they went, Raven collected various tidbits from the forest floor; twigs, some old bones, multiple bits of garbage some human had left, pretty rocks, basically anything that caught their attention. They made sure to put these treasures in their hoodie pocket, and not the backpack.  
When the gang had heard they could hunt, Raven was assigned the role of hunter. Hunting for three more people meant they had to get good at killing fast. There had been a lot of missed attempts in the beginning, but now, a whole year later, Raven's kill streak had greatly improved.  
Most of the food went to Rat and Alley, since they were bigger and needed better food. Bone and Raven still got meat, but ate a lot of filler garbage in-between to fill their stomachs. Though, fresh meat couldn't satisfy them for long, and they often went on raids in the city.  
Rat insisted that the city had failed them, and thus it was alright for them to steal whatever they needed. Mostly food and clothes, but also toys and whatever else they wanted. Raven wasn't about to complain, getting to eat chips and soda whenever they wanted was reward enough.  
Though, rival gangs fought for dominance, and the police were always an issue. There had been more than a few close calls in the past year, especially since they were all technically missing children. CPS was usually on the prowl at any homeless shelters, so those were a no go.  
It was starting to become a concern, successfully dodging one of the three didn't guarantee they were safe from the other two. Alley had once told a story of the time she got arrested, they'd held her hostage for a week before she was able to escape. She was always looking out for them, teaching them how to evade the police and CPS at the same time.  
Raven didn't want to go to jail, and they certainly didn't want to go home. Alley's lessons were very important, knowing how to disappear while in the city was essential to survival.

After several minutes of walking, the factory comes into view. The exterior was still ominous and looming, even after a whole year of living there, but it was home.  
They quickly brush the blood off their hands, and knock the secret password on the door. Raven stumbles inside as soon as the door is open, shrugging off the backpack and handing it over to Rat. He empties it out on the concrete floor, looking over the haul with pride.  
"Nice catch, you're gettin' better at this, eh?" He grins, preparing a small fire to begin cooking the meats. His favorite pet rat, Scruffs, sniffing at the carcasses from his shoulder. It had been interesting to learn that the other kids weren't exactly human either. Rat apparently could speak to any mouse or rat he wanted to, hence the name. That power had come in handy many times during raids, as it turned out, rats were very good at sneaking into buildings.  
"Mmmhhmmm, no match for me!" Raven chirps happily, grinning widely.  
"Yo, Ray! C'mere for a sec, will ya?" Alley calls out, waving from atop one of the hollowed out machines, something hidden behind her back. Raven climbs up to meet her, scrambling a bit against the loose machinery. Once Raven regains their footing, Alley takes a step back. "Ey, got something for ya-" She grins, pulling the thing she had been hiding behind her back out.  
Raven gasps softly, it's a large green hoodie, made of a soft material with a dark green peace sign emblazoned on the front. Slowly, they grab it, feeling the fabric between their fingers in shocked silence. Unbidden, tears fill their eyes.  
"Oh, t-thank you..." Raven sniffles, hugging the hoodie close to their chest and rubbing their cheek on it gently.  
"No prob, kiddo. Thought you might like it, the one you got now's gettin' pretty small." She chuckles, ruffling Raven's hair lightly before jumping down from the machine. They watch her plop down next to the fire, striking up a conversation with their leader. Alley was amazing, somehow she was able to steal absolutely anything without getting caught. She could sneak through the city in the same way Raven could in the forest.   
Raven rubs the tears from their eyes with their sleeve, before pulling their old tattered hoodie off. They shiver in the cold for a second, wriggling into the new much bigger hoodie happily. It's pretty baggy on their small frame, and they have to roll the sleeves up quite a bit to stop it from sagging, but it's absolutely perfect.  
After tying the old hoodie loosely around their waist, Raven leaps across the machines, eyeing a large pile of white and yellow bones hidden in the corner with awe. Dropping to all fours and squinting up with a friendly glow, Raven lets out a series of high pitched chirps.  
"Who dares approach the Castle of Bone?!" Bone roars dramatically, peering down at Raven from the top of the pile. When he sees them, his expression immediately changes, and he trills in happiness. He jumps forward, sliding down in a shower of bones and high pitched growls.  
Raven growls back, bumping against the smaller child with their forehead and lightly wrestling for a few minutes, until they're both laying on the ground thoroughly exhausted.  
"Hiya, mighty hunter! Why've you come today?" Bone grins, a content silver glow bathing the area in light.  
"Was wonderin' if you wanted some a these?" they rumble, pulling the collected bones from the old hoodies pocket. He rolls over, inspecting the bones for a moment before snatching it out of their grasp.  
"It will do!" He trills, already adding the new addition to the pile, taking great care to place it exactly where it needed to be. "Dinner?" He asks, smelling the air in question.  
"Mmm! Dinner soon, it's hare tonight-" Raven nods with a toothy grin, pausing when Bone shoots past them into the main room. They chuckle, shaking their head slightly and following him.  
Standing back upright with a huff, Raven weaves back out through the machinery into the main area, flopping down by the fire next to Bone. He was bouncing on the spot, watching the meat crackle above the fire and drooling slightly.  
"So glad ya'll could join me _hare_ tonight-" Alley grins, earning a shoulder punch from Rat as he tries not to laugh. Raven joins in too, rocking backwards and nearly falling over with how hard they laugh. Alley had been teaching Raven how to properly pun recently, since they had shown such enthusiasm.  
"Hey now, your godawful puns're gonna corrupt Scruffs..." Rat grumbles, covering Scruffs ears and giving him a little pat on the head. Scruffs didn't look like he cared, simply watching the fire with his beady little rodent eyes, nose twitching adorably.  
"He's already been corrupted by you, rat boy!" Alley punches him back, being careful not to jostle Scruffs in the process. They continue to squabble as the meat cooks, throwing mock punches and growling loudly. Bone gets into it too, slamming into Raven's side with a high pitched war cry. They scramble across the dusty floor, growling and chirping as the fire casts dancing shadows on the walls. Rat laughs at their antics, not getting too into his fight with Alley as he tried to watch the food.

As soon as the meat is done being cooked, they split it up. Rat and Alley both get a hare and a half, while Raven and Bone get a whole hare to themselves. They eat before it gets cold, not bothering to be clean. Raven tears into the meat, licking their lips and gnawing on some of the smaller bones, feeling them snap between their teeth. The bigger bones are placed in a pile by the fire to dry, and soon to be incorporated into Bone's castle.  
They rub their face clean with their hoodie sleeve, stretching with a yawn and enjoying the warmth of the fire. As much as Raven would love to fall asleep here by the fire, it just wasn't safe. After living alone for as long as they did, sleeping out in the open was impossible. Raven much preferred finding a little hidey-hole to stow away in, something easily defendable with lots of blankets.  
But for right now, Raven just wanted to enjoy the fire and their friends. Bone had slumped sideways, leaning into their side and purring softly, his eyes glowing in content. Raven glowed back, green and silver light glinting off the broken glass shards, dancing with the reflected fire distractedly. They stayed piled around the fire until it was nothing but smoldering ashes, only once Alley stood to stomp out the embers did they disperse to their individual sleeping quarters.  
Raven crawled through the maze of machinery, rubbing their tired eyes. It had taken some getting used to, but shortly after they came to the factory Raven had found the perfect sleeping place. Inside one of the hollowed out machines was a decently sized crevice, which they had slowly been filling with old clothes to create a nest.  
They dump out the rest of their new loot off to the side, and discard the old hoodie into the nest. Curling up into the pile of fabrics, Raven sorts through their treasures, hanging up bits of shiny plastic on the ceiling, and scooping the rest into the ever growing pile of items. It was getting to be quite a lot now, the majority of which was rocks and bits of machinery. The wires and cogs weren't being used anymore, so it was okay if they took it. And the wires were such vibrant colors, too...  
Though their favorite treasure was still their little purple dragon plush. With a yawn, Raven curls into a tight ball, hugging the plush dragon close. This place wasn't as comforting as their old hidey-hole, but it was better than nothing. Getting to be in a group was definitely better than being alone, they finally had someone to watch their back, and they could feel safe while eating or sleeping. Even though it was sometimes dangerous, they felt better now that they have in a long time.  
It was... nice, normal even. They weren't going to school or living with their family like normal kids, but they were able to survive out here because of each other.  
Finally, a gentle smile etching their features, Raven falls asleep.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They know this place, from a long time ago... A grassy hill, stepping stones leading up to a large wilting oak tree, perfect for climbing. A gentle breeze flows through the dying grass, red and orange splashes of color all over the ground. An inviting forest, the smell of campfire smoke from the nearby campground carried by the wind. The shadow of autumn leaves dancing all around...

Just a figment, nothing but a dream...

 _"Hello."_ A child's voice rings, standing beneath the tree, painfully familiar. They're looking away, off into the distance at the campgrounds, watching the children play with a sad smile.  
"You're... me?" Raven breathes, trying to keep their voice from shaking. But it was so hard to breath, they didn't want to be here, not again.  
_"I was, not anymore, though..."_ They say, the breeze making their long hair flow out behind them. _"I'm Faolan."_  
A jolt of fear stabs Raven's heart at that name. They couldn't escape it, whether seeing it plastered everywhere on missing posters or here in their dreams. "N-not anymore?" Raven whispers hoarsely, not sure they want to know the answer.  
_"The real Faolan died a long, long time ago"_ The child says softly, the sound of children playing off in the distance growing muffled. _"You're nothing, a nobody, remember?"_  
Their voice holds no malice, but the words sting nonetheless. "Then... who am I?" Raven whispers to themself, staring at the reflection before them. A large branch from the tree hangs by a thread, casting a wavering shadow over the children.  
Finally, The child turns to face them, dark red blood dripping from their head and onto the pristine grass. _"Isn't it obvious?"_

_"You're dead, too"_

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven awakes to their lungs burning. Everything is hazy with smoke and embers, the entire space bathed in an eerie red glow. They jolt up, grabbing their most important possessions and stuffing it all in their pockets before bursting out of their sleeping chambers.  
The scene outside is utter chaos, fire is everywhere, and Raven can't hear anything over the crackling and their own coughing. They try to stay low to the ground, desperate to find someone, anyone, amidst the inferno. They head for Bone's castle first, hands and feet getting burned on the blazing hot metal as they run. There they find him, clinging to the mound of bones and coughing violently. He's covered in burns, and unwilling to part with his treasures.  
Raven scoops him up, clinging to the boy with all their might as he screams. They stumble away, bleary eyes searching through the thick smoke for any other sign of life.  
"OI, THIS WAY!" A familiar gruff voice calls out above the roar. Raven jolts, finally spotting Rat hunched over a good bit away. They try to shake the light-headedness away, stumbling forward towards their leader. The second they reach him, Rat wraps an arm around their shoulders, looking them over in worry.  
"Wh-where's Alley?!" He shouts as he shepherds them out into the night.  
"I don't know, I don't know!" Raven sobs, blinking tears out of their vision and clinging to Bone a little tighter. They stumble far enough away from the blazing factory that the residual heat is manageable.  
"God damn- okay, you two stay put, I'll-" Rat turns back towards the building, fully intending to go right back in when something blocks his path. Or rather, someone.  
"Where do you think you're going, huh, punk?" The man shouts, grinning at the look of fear on their faces.  
More men walk out of the darkness, watching the terrified children with malevolence. "You didn't really think you could get away with encroaching on our terf, did you?" One of them grinds out, brandishing a baseball bat threateningly.  
Rat backs up, teeth bared as they approach. He glances back at Raven and Bone, dark eyes clouded by smoke and fear. Raven stares up at him, watching the image of fire flicker and the reflection of their own face. Until suddenly, something seems to click in his mind, his expression becoming one of steely determination.  
"Go, get outta here! I'll be right behind you!" Rat hisses, eyes wide and afraid, his voice warbling ever so slightly. Raven does what they are told, taking off into the forest as the men begin shouting.

They keep running, long after the sound of fighting has quieted to silence, long after they can no longer hear Rat's war cries, long after their legs start to give out beneath them...  
Until finally, they collapse. Lungs burning as they retch against the grass, the cold of the night soothing their burns slightly. With shaking hands, Raven checks on Bone.  
He was passed out, wheezing shallowly and covered in burns. They didn't know what to do, Rat wasn't here, Alley wasn't here... Oh, God, what do they do?  
Bone can't die, he was too young, much much too young. Ignoring the pain, Raven carefully picks Bone back up, carrying him piggyback style through the forest. But they're so tired, more stumbling than walking at this point.  
They have to keep going, they needed to be strong right now, no matter how much it hurt... But Raven had limitations, as much as they wished they didn't. After only fifteen minutes of walking, they collapse again, taking the full brunt of the fall to protect Bone.  
They lay there for some time, wheezing painfully into the cold grass, trying desperately to get back up. They manage to crawl forward a few more feet, but even that fails in the end.  
Now, they could barely move, limbs as heavy as lead, warm tears falling unhindered down their soot stained face. They listen to the sounds of the forest as it cries with them, the trees rattling in the howling wind.  
Suddenly, a new sounds meets their battered senses; twigs snapping, footsteps. Was it the men from before, come to finish the wounded children off at last?  
Raven tries to move their head, just barely managing to glance up at the hazy forest. Through the foliage, a man appears. He does not look like the men from before, but rather friendly, with gentle blue eyes and a shocked expression.  
He's at their side in a flash, looking them over with obvious concern. Raven blinks up at him, trying to will their voice to work, but all they get is a pitiful whimper.  
"Hey now, everything's alright, don't you worry..." He says, voice serious and calming all at the same time.  
"...Saaave... h'm..." Raven wheezes, voice strained and barely above a whisper. "Pl... ease..."  
The man nods, slowly scooping the both of them up into his arms, careful not to injure them any further. As he carries them through the forest, Raven lets their weary eyes flutter closed, head pressed firmly against the man's shoulder as they drift off to sleep.


	6. Frederick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Frederick belongs to Myth, and he is absolutely perfect)

The first thing Raven becomes aware of is the feeling of a pressing weight on their chest, a heavy blanket draped over their sleeping form, making it difficult to raise their arms or breath. The temptation to drift back to sleep is enticing, head filled with mud as their memory stubbornly evades recollection. The second thing Raven realizes is that they're in a bed. Just that fact alone is enough to have them fighting for consciousness even harder; Raven hasn't slept in a bed in over three years.  
The last thing to come to them is the pain, a dull throbbing in their head and hands. Their lungs hurt too, almost as though they've swallowed knives in their sleep. The memory of smoke has Raven retching again, struggling to open their eyes as panic seizes their senses.

A nauseatingly bright room, sunlight flitting through the window. They're in what looks like a small hospital room, the pristine sheets crinkling beneath them as Raven slowly sits up. There's another bed next to them, where a sleeping Bone peacefully sleeps. He's looking better, all the dirt and grime scrubbed away. Raven looks down at themself to discover that they too are now clean, hands covered in clean white bandages. Their old tattered clothes are gone as well, replaced by a scratchy hospital gown. Raven panics for a moment, looking around the room desperately for their prized possessions. The only thing left was their tiny pendant necklace, still clasped protectively around their neck. Their favorite blanket and dragon plush were gone, nowhere to be seen.  
Raven wants to search for their belongings right away, but the medicinal smell of the place has their stomach rolling, and with a wheeze they scoot out of the hospital bed.  
Misjudging the strength of their exhausted legs, Raven topples to the cold floor with a strangled cry. Just then, the door opens. Raven scrambles across the tile and underneath a nearby cabinet, curling into a tight ball and shaking violently. With wide eyes, they watch as the person pauses just inside the room, closing the door and hurriedly walking forward towards the bed.  
Raven watches as the person searches the room with bated breath, trying to keep the glowing of their eyes under control. Finally, the person's feet stop just outside Raven's hiding spot, and a man's face appears with a worried expression.  
With a loud wheezing growl, Raven attempts to scramble farther away while also trying to make themself look bigger. For added effect, they gnash their bared teeth, letting the man know full well what would happen if he tried anything. Since there was no point in hiding anymore, they allow their eyes to glow brighter, illuminating the small space beneath the cabinet in a sickly green light.  
The man flinches back for a moment, but doesn't run, simply assessing them with a thoughtful frown.  
"Wooaah, now that's a scary sight!" He remarks, rocking back on his heels slightly. He doesn't make any movements to grab them, instead simply flopping down on his stomach. "Hello! I'm Dr. Frederick." He says with a friendly smile, blue eyes twinkling.  
Raven pauses, quieting down and tilting their head at him in confusion. Recollection finally clicks in their weary mind, it was the man from last night. After he found them last night in the forest, he must have brought them to this hospital. A doctor, he said, what luck that a doctor would be nearby in their time of need.  
"Oh, that reminds me!" Frederick says, startling them out of their thoughts as he reaches into his pocket slowly. Raven flinches back, still eyeing the man with suspicion as he retrieves something small and purple. "I believe this little guy belongs to you-" He smiles, gently placing the missing dragon plush on the floor between them.  
Raven perks up, scooting forward slightly and snatching the toy. They hug it protectively, coughing a bit at the smokey smell that still clings to the old plush. Slowly, they crawl out from beneath the cabinet, never letting the doctor out of their sight.  
"Aha, there you are!" Frederick backs away, letting them have some space.  
"...'llo..." Raven croaks, sticking close to the cabinet just in case they had to escape again.  
"Hello! Don't mind me, I was just coming in to check on you two." They watch him talk in silence, still hugging their plush tightly. "You must be hungry, right? Please wait here for a moment." Taking care to move slowly, Frederick stands up and strides out of the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.  
Raven peeks up from behind the bed momentarily, before crawling back up onto the crumpled sheets with a huff. They were still unsure of the situation, but they might as well see how this all played out. After a minute, Frederick returns, this time knocking lightly on the door before entering. "I hope you like chicken noodle." He grins, holding up a bowl.  
Raven represses the urge to jump back down on the floor, instead shifting the plush under their arm so they can accept the bowl with shaky hands. "T'anks..." Raven mumbles, sipping the broth carefully. It made their throat sting, but they had to say it was the best chicken broth they've ever tasted. At some point they ditch the spoon altogether, slurping the broth greedily straight from the bowl.  
"I'm going to take care of your friend here now, alright?" Frederick says softly, walking to stand next to Bone's bed. As Raven drinks the soup, they watch the doctor work in silence. He seems nice enough, nursing these two strange forest children back to health without even the incentive of payment. He was just doing this out of the good of his heart, something the homeless children didn't often get to witness. Despite the circumstances, Raven felt like they could trust this man. If he was going to do anything, killing them while they slept would have been much more efficient.  
Frederick looks over Bone quietly, glancing up at Raven every once in a while as he went. "So, you know my name, what should I call you guys?" He asks, causing Raven to stop eating for a moment.  
They carefully position the half empty bowl in their lap, and gesture to themself with their free hand. "Rav'n..." They mumble, then shakily point towards the boy. "...Bone."  
"Ravioli and Bouillon, huh?" Frederick grins, his tone so casual that Raven immediately bursts into raspy laughter at such an awful joke. But that quickly devolves into violent coughing, the bowl of soup splashing slightly as they double over in pain.  
In an instant, Frederick is at their side, gently patting them on the back until Raven manages to catch their breath again. He moves the bowl away, placing it on a nearby table so it wouldn't make any more of a mess.  
"Just breath, kiddo. Here, look at me, and say _ahhhh-"_ He prompts, and Raven opens their mouth as wide as possible, managing a raspy sound as Frederick shines a light in their mouth. "Hmm, it's just as I thought..." He hums, leaning away with an inquisitive frown.  
"Wha?" A twinge of fear shoots through their chest, and Raven stares up at the doctor with wide eyes.  
"Yep, there's no way around it, you are definitely a child!" Frederick declares dramatically, writing something down on his clipboard and glancing up at Raven. "So, anyways... you kids were in a fire, right?"  
Raven nods slightly, accidentally leaning sideways and sticking their hand out to catch their balance. Wincing when their hand throbs painfully, they withdraw both hands to their chest, fidgeting with the hospital gown's collar.  
"Were you two alone? Is there anyone I can call?" He asks, voice purposefully neutral as he watches them, concern evident in his eyes. Raven looks down at the sheets, blinking rapidly.  
"...Rat n' Alley, gone... 'm worried bout them..." They mumble, looking away in shame. Rat and Alley must be so concerned, they were always trying to look out for the two younger gang members, especially Rat since he was the oldest. Raven's last memory of their scrappy leader was burned into their mind, he must have been so afraid... Opening their eyes, Raven looks over at Bone, watching his chest rise and fall slowly... But he still hasn't woken up yet.  
"Will he be okay?" They whisper, voice wavering with fear despite their best attempts at hiding it. Frederick lowers his clipboard slightly, watching them carefully.  
"Yup, luckily you'll both be okay. Just rest up and you'll have a clean bill of health in no time!" He smiles reassuringly. "Until then, you two can stay here, alright?"  
Raven turns to look up at him, blinking slowly. They could... stay? That was a surprise, they had just assumed the gang would find a new place to crash at, since the factory was no longer an option. But, staying at a hospital... The medical smell was still making them feel really nauseous.  
"Alright, I've got other patients to check on... I'll be back later, okay Rabies?" Frederick stands with a sigh, walking to the exit in a few quick strides.  
"Rav'n." They blink up at him, watching as he opens the door and pauses.  
"You got it, Roman!" Frederick grins, giving a little wave before closing the door behind him. Raven listens intently as his footsteps retreat down the hall, assumingly going to treat his other patients.

They wait for a couple minutes, counting the seconds silently to see if he would be back. When he didn't, they scoot back out of the bed again, this time managing not to fall to the floor. Tiptoeing across the cold tile, Raven searches the room for the rest of their belongings.  
Their old clothes are found atop a table, and it looks like they've been recently washed. Raven hugs their tattered blanket in relief, smelling the green fabric with a huff. The dirt and smoke smell was completely gone, replaced by a nice smelling detergent, probably name-brand. When was the last time this thing had been washed, Raven tries to think. Does standing in the rain count as washing?  
Raven changes back into their old clean clothes, staying mindful of their bandaged wounds. No shoes to be found, though. That was fine, those shoes had been so full of holes, that at this point they weren't even really considered shoes anymore.  
As Raven neatly folds the hospital gown, they think about maybe staying. They were safe here, and had food and a real bed. They didn't want to leave Bone here all alone either, if he woke up without them here he would surely panic. They pad over to him quietly, reaching out to ruffle his hair. After a moment of hesitation, Raven places the dragon plush in the crook of his arm, patting the little toy on its head before backing away. Their trusty toy would keep him protected so they didn't have to worry.  
With a shake of their head, Raven pries the window open, taking a much needed breath of fresh air. The window wasn't too high off the ground, only ten feet or so. Carefully, they crawl out the window, hanging by their stinging hands for a moment before dropping down to the ground with a thump.  
Pain pulses through their system, making their vision go spotty. Raven wobbles for a minute, catching themself on the side of the building and panting softly. They had to move quickly though, if they wanted to get back before Frederick returned and noticed their disappearance.  
Luckily, their feet weren't burned too badly, so Raven sticks to the shadows and jogs away. This hospital didn't look very big from the outside, more of a clinic if they had to guess. And it was thankfully close to the forest, the soft forest floor feeling much better on their bare feet than concrete or tile.  
They pace themself, moving slowly but surely through the foliage towards where they know the factory is located. It doesn't take long to get there, Raven only has to walk for about twenty minutes before the large building comes into view.  
They're shocked by what they find, however. While the abandoned factory had never been in the best of shape, the state it was now in was horrifying. Walls charred black by last nights inferno, residual smoke still being blown about by the wind. But there were no more flames, at the very least.  
Raven stumbles forward slowly, tremors racking their small frame as they approach the building. They come upon the small clearing where they last saw Rat, some areas of the yellow grass are stained brown with dried blood and soot. The clearing is thankfully empty, though, no rival gang members loitering around to run from.  
They take a tentative step forward towards the door, watching how it hangs wide open on rusty hinges, creaking in the breeze. With a yelp, Raven hops backwards, holding their foot up off the ground in pain. All the broken glass was covered by a thick layer of soot, hiding the dangerous shards from view.  
But this was important, and they've come too far to back out now. Ignoring the sharp pains, Raven strides forward through the door. The inside is even worse than outside, big hulking shapes hollowed out by time and fire. The smoke and soot has Raven coughing again, eyes squinted shut as they try to navigate the maze of machinery.  
The metal is still unbearably hot from the fire, burning their already bleeding feet as Raven leaps through the space. Eventually they have to resort to running on all fours, the pristine white bandages wrapping their already injured hands getting stained black with scalding soot.  
Finally, Raven manages to find what they came here for. Bone's castle has been reduced to a pile of blackened bones, barely recognizable from what it once was. They limp forward, collapsing on their knees and digging through the pile of loose bones.  
After a lot of digging, Raven manages to find a number of bones mostly untouched by the flames. They grab as many as they can, carefully stuffing them into their pockets for safe keeping. Hopefully, Bone would be pleased with the haul.  
Even after collecting Bone's treasures, they stick around despite their aching feet, searching for any signs of life in dead silence. There's no bodies to be seen, though, and Raven doesn't know if that's a blessing or a curse.  
They search every nook and cranny, eventually being forced to stop when they can't stop coughing. Raven stumbles back outside, limping heavily. They collapse just outside the door, landing on top of glass and soot as they cough violently.  
Crawling farther away from the building, Raven tries to ignore the worrying amount of blood they're leaving behind. Some of the glass had even managed to slice their cheek when they collapsed. They continue crawling for a while, staying on all fours taking up less energy than standing upright.  
They had to give up for now, but Rat and Alley were still nowhere to be seen. As soon as they dropped off these bones, the search would continue... Well, maybe after a nap... a long nap. The forest beckons enticingly, calling for it's child to come rest.  
_Please, not yet,_ the child whines. _They still need to return to their friend, it isn't time for rest._

Not yet, _not yet..._

They try to maintain a steady pace, but they were exhausted. It takes Raven a lot longer to get back to the hospital than it took to leave, stumbling over rocks and tree roots as they struggle to keep their eyes open. Once they get back, Raven hesitates just outside the clinic, sudden fear seizing their limbs and preventing them from taking another step forward.  
Would they be in trouble for leaving? Frederick might be upset with them, especially since they'd went and gotten hurt again. Maybe they could just sneak in and leave the bones without being seen, but that window was looking a lot higher from down here... Raven's not sure they can make that jump anymore.  
Suddenly, Frederick appears in the doorway, eyes wide with pure concern. Raven freezes, flinching back with a loud cough as he opens the door.  
"There you are! You had me so worried-" He breaths, ushering them in with a worried hand, and doing a double take at the state they're in. "You're hurt- Why did you do that, your health is important!" Frederick scolds lightly, causing Raven to curl in on themself, shaking violently. This was exactly what they'd been worried about, and now it was happening.  
He pauses, taking a deep breath to compose himself before kneeling down to their eye level. "Hey, I'm sorry I yelled. Please try to be more careful, though, you really worried me..."  
_"Sorry- 'm sorry!"_ Raven sobs, breath hitching as they try not to cry.  
"It's alright, come on, let's get you patched up..." Frederick sighs gently, a hand ghosting over their shoulder as Raven limps into the room.  
He tends to their wounds in silence, carefully cleaning away the soot and blood, and replacing the dirty bandages. As soon as he's done, Frederick leans back in his little swivel chair with a groan.  
"Geez, you kids sure are a _handful_..." He gives a tired chuckle, holding a hand up and wiggling his fingers slightly. "So, would you like to share with the class why you decided to go roll in soot and broken glass?" He pushes away from their bed, rolling backwards with his chair to dispose of the bits of broken glass into the trash.  
Raven fidgets with their new bandages for a moment, before pulling all the retrieved bones from their pocket and dumping them all out onto the bed. Frederick stares at the sizable haul for a long moment, eyebrows raised slightly.  
"...For h'm, Bone needs th'm..." Raven mumbles before coughing lightly, gesturing to the still sleeping boy in question.  
"Bone needs his bones, huh?" The doctor shakes his head, holding a hand up to rub his eyes. Raven doesn't look at him, just watching Bone breathe. He hadn't woken up yet, the dragon toy in stuck in the exact same position it had been in when Raven left.  
"Safe?" Raven rasps, voice barely above a whisper. Frederick stares at them with a blank expression.  
"...Yes, he will be safe." The doctor responds after a moment, sitting still in the corner of their vision. Finally, Raven turns to him and raises their arms slightly. "What is it, kiddo? You want a hug?"  
Raven nods mutely, staring down at the floor as their hands shake, still raised. Without another word, Frederick stands up and walks over to them, reaching forward and wrapping them in a hug. They hug him back, closing their weary eyes and leaning into the warm embrace. Their eyes glow dimly, casting a comforting green light on the still room.  
"You don't have to leave again, you know. You can stay here if you want..." His voice is calming, and Raven has to fight not to fall asleep.  
"Can't... protect h'm, not 'lone-" They sniffle, hands grasping his shirt weakly.  
"Alright, I understand." Frederick says, rubbing soothing circles on their back. "You're welcome back here anytime, Roman."  
Raven doesn't bother to correct him this time, they just yawn as he releases them from the hug. Sleeping in a bed again wasn't so bad... Raven thinks as they curl into a ball, face pressed against the pillow and blanket wrapped comfortingly around their shoulders.  
They vaguely register Frederick getting up to leave, the room light clicking off as he walks out the door. The pain has faded now, leaving behind nothing but a dull ache.

Soon too, everything fades away, until nothing but the darkness remains.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names and faces, empty spaces in their mind that were once so precious. People they used to know, people they used to love.  
Raven stands in the empty space, staring wide eyed at the people standing before them. Friends, family, parents... a sibling. Names on the tip of their tongue, hidden at the edges of their recollection, gone but not forgotten.  
Most of them are vague, details obscured by time. But the ones they remember are worse, the prominent frown on _his_ face. Those eyes drilling into them, filled with unrestrained anger.

  
Tonight, four new people stand among the crowd. Their faces painfully clear amidst a sea of blurry shapes.

A young boy with messy blonde hair, smiling up at them with such trust and a story for every bone.  
An angry boy with curly black hair, with a gruff voice that speaks gentle words, a friend to every mouse.  
A girl who steals for others, tangled brown hair cascading over her shoulders and a pun for every situation.  
The man with soft blue eyes, the power to heal at his fingertips, someone you want to trust with every fiber of your being.

_...What were their names again?_

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven doesn't cry out from the nightmare this time, simply jolting slightly in the bed. An empty feeling rips a void in their chest, but they knew it would fade with time, it always did.  
The room is dark, empty save for the two children. Raven peers around the room with a dim glow, letting the memories slowly come back to them. They're feeling much better now, the pain dulled down to tolerable levels. While they slept, it seems Frederick tucked them in and gave them back their dragon plush. They hug the plush tightly, feeling the nightmare's effects diminish ever so slightly.  
Raven stares through the dark at Bone, green light illuminating his still form. The bones they'd salvaged piled on the table next to his bed. It was better this way, that he wakes up without ever seeing them, wasn't it? Raven doesn't want to leave him, but they can't protect him. Not alone, anyway...

Rat was a leader, Alley was a leader.

Raven wasn't a leader, under their care Bone would probably be dead in less than a week. They'd already failed him once, not being strong enough to carry him to a hospital, having to rely on the kindness of a stranger...  
If Frederick hadn't appeared when he did, both of them would be dead. Laying forgotten in the forest, finally come to reclaim it's children. The forest...  
That's where Raven needed to be, it was calling to them.

"...Sorry." They whisper, staring at Bone's face in the dark, intent to remember his face at the very least. He would be safe here at this hospital, with Frederick. Safely tucked in this bed, far away from Raven and their failures. Far, far away...  
This time, they leave a scrawled note behind before they go. Their penmanship wasn't the best after years of no practice, but it's readable. They even scribble a little drawing on the side, a tiny bird.

With a final glance back at the room, Raven jumps out the window and disappears into the night.


	7. Partners in Crime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (This chapter was really fun, collab work with Kit was a blast!)

Somebody new was in the forest, somebody Raven has never seen before. Not many people came to this area, since it was so secluded and far from most major roads. But here someone was, sitting underneath a tree and eating something from a bag. Raven sniffs the air hesitantly, the salty food smell making them salivate.  
Raven keeps themself low to the ground, crawling on all fours and trying to get a better look at whatever the person was holding. Their vision had been getting worse in the past couple years, they could only just make out that the person was younger, probably about the same age as them. They had medium length blonde hair, and it looked pretty tangled.  
Despite their naturally reclusive nature, Raven often found themself seeking out the company of others. Most of the time it turned out badly, more than a few glass bottles had been thrown at their head by angry strangers. But every once in a while they got a nice interaction, hopefully this encounter would be a good one, they don't look too dangerous...  
Raven manages to get within twenty feet of the person, close enough that they can almost make out the writing on the bag, what appears to be a brand of chips, before they are noticed.   
The person startles, turning to face them with a slight look of fear.   
"H-hello?" They call out, causing Raven to perk up. No danger yet, that was good. Maybe they would let Raven have some of those tasty looking chips, cautiously, Raven crawls a bit closer.  
The person stands, taking a step forward before the ground suddenly sinks beneath them. With a wince, Raven watches as they fall flailing into the pitfall.  
From here they can see the person scrambling to get out, grabbing at a tree root but falling back in when it snaps. Raven creeps forward, peering down into the hole to see them sitting on their butt. They glance up, locking eyes with Raven.  
"Are you okay?" Raven asks, patting the ground with their hands in concern.  
"Kind of," They respond "I can't climb out of here. There's nothing stable to grab on to..."  
"Oh!" Well, Raven can't exactly just leave them down there, that would be rude. Bracing their feet, Raven reaches a hand down into the hole. "Grab my hand, I can pull you out!"  
The person stands up, taking Raven's outstretched hand. Being careful not to lose their balance, Raven grabs the stranger’s wrist with their other hand, pulling with all their might as the person kicked at the dirt wal andl up to freedom. The second they're up, Raven backs up a bit to give them some space.  
"Thank you very much. It probably would have taken me at least a day to get out without your help." They sigh, looking to Raven with appreciation.  
With a toothy grin, Raven rubs the back of their neck. "It's no problem! I like helping those in need!" They chirp, eyes squinting shut briefly. "Oh, my name's Raven! It's nice to meet ya!"   
Raven sticks their hand out, maybe a little too fast in their enthusiasm. This person seemed nice enough, and they were probably just lost. They didn't seem to mean any harm though, Raven didn't often get to interact with other kids since they had permanently moved into the forest. They couldn't run the risk of Frederick or Bone discovering them, so they'd just opted to find a new area of the forest to live in.  
As much as Raven wanted to go back to the safety of the hospital, old fears kept them away. And Raven couldn't face Bone without news of what happened to Rat and Alley. Months of searching, but no results... Nothing but this person standing before them, that was.  
After a moment of hesitation, the person responds. "I'm Noelle," They say. "Do you live here?"  
Raven lets their unshaken hand fall back down, not letting it get them down and bouncing on the spot. "Yep! I've lived here for a few years now. How about you? I've never seen you around before." Raven stops bouncing and tilts their head to the side, blinking slowly.  
"I only just got here a few weeks ago. I'm trying to find my way out of this place. But I'm not in any hurry, really." Noelle says, shrugging a bit.  
Raven looks them over for a moment in silence. Their clothes were a mess, more holes than fabric at this point. "Ooh, you look like you've been travelling quite a while..."   
"Yeah, I've been in the wilderness for about four months now." Noelle confesses.  
"Four months?" Raven blinks, staring back at Noelle with wide eyes. They've been out here for that long already? No wonder they looked so ragged, they were probably dodging CPS too. It also explains why Raven hadn't seen their face on any missing posters, they haven't been in the city in so long. "Wow! But... are your parents around?" Raven asks hesitantly, depending on their answer Raven would decide what to do.  
"I uh..." Noelle looks away with a frown. "I ran away from home. Things... happened."  
Raven nods. "I see..." That confirmed it, they were on the run. They couldn't just leave them out here, the smell of rain was in the air. And... well, maybe they were being a bit selfish. After months of only talking to themself, Raven was desperate for a companion, or at the very least someone friendly to talk to. "Well, you can come with me if you'd like! I know my way around here, so I can help you find your way out." They chirp happily.  
"Really? That'd be great!" Noelle smiles, getting up and dusting themself off for a moment.  
Raven grins again, scampering away on all fours. "Yep! Follow me, I know a great place you can stay!" As they walk, Raven makes sure to keep their head turned ever so slightly, keeping Noelle in their peripheral vision.  
"So you walk on all fours, huh?" Noelle asks, causing Raven to pause for a moment. Whoops, that's right, humans normally walked upright...   
"Yep! I prefer it over walking on twos." Raven chirps while looking away, well, it was too late to stop now.   
"That's so cool!" Noelle says, and Raven flashes them a friendly smile. They continue to walk in silence for a while, until finally they come across a small hidden cave. It wasn't much, but Noelle would be safe here. "Wow, I never saw this cave before." They say while exploring the cave.  
"If there's anything you need, just let me know!" Raven calls from the entrance, peering inside and keeping their eye glow to a minimum, they didn't want to scare this new potential friend just yet.  
"Uhh, let me think..." Noelle thinks aloud, and Raven looks them over once more.  
"Hmm... you look like you need some new clothes. The ones you're wearing right now are really worn out." Raven points out, frowning again at the state of their clothes. It was pretty cold at night, how the heck had they survived this long?  
"Umm, yes I could use some new clothes. Especially a shirt." Noelle mumbles.  
Raven nods understandingly. "Okay! I'll go get something for you!" After gesturing for them to stay put, Raven takes off towards the city.

It takes a while to get there on foot, if they had to guess about thirty minutes or so. When they reach the edge of the forest, they take a moment to stand upright. Walking on all fours would just draw unwanted attention.  
Hmm... where was a good place to find clothes? Homeless shelters usually had boxes of clothes, but they couldn't risk getting chased by CPS or the cops right now. Raven didn't want to leave Noelle alone for too long either, if they were gone by the time Raven got back...  
Raven shakes their head, stumbling down the sidewalk unsteadily. They hadn't walked upright in months, so their balance was pretty shot right now, and they didn't even have shoes.  
They wander around the streets for a while, swaying like a drunken sailor and ignoring how hot the concrete was until finally a store comes into view. Alley's lessons echo in their mind as Raven shuffles outside the store, waiting for an opening and pulling their hood up. After a couple minutes, a dad with a large group of rowdy kids approach. They keep their head low, sticking close to the group and hiding from the camera behind the chaos.  
The group doesn’t even notice the new addition, and Raven quickly turns into the clothes section once they’re far enough in. What kind of clothes should they get? Nothing too flashy, probably something that would last a long time and be warm.  
There's some sturdy looking clothes near the back, they feel the material in their hands thoughtfully and dig through the pile. Noelle was about the same size as them, probably. Ugh, they really should've asked what exactly to get before running off.  
Holding the shirt up to themself for reference, Raven tilts their head curiously. This should do just fine, they run the same process for pants and a jacket. Being careful not to be seen, Raven rips the tags off and ties the new clothes to their torso under their hoodie, shifting them about so it didn't look lumpy. They glance at the shoe section on the way to the exit, eyeing the colorful footwear with envy.  
Heart racing, they snatch a pair without slowing down, stuffing them into their pockets and removing the tag discreetly. They keep their face neutral, breath held as they near the exit. Alley had never shown fear during raids, but Raven could never seem to shake the anxiety of being caught. They were getting better though, adrenaline rushing through their system as they cross the threshold.  
No beeps today, and luckily no security guard to stop them, looks like they're home free. Raven continues walking calmly until they reach the forest, waiting until they can no longer see any buildings before finally stopping.  
Flopping to the ground with a huff, Raven pulls out the shoes and unties the new clothes from their waist. Dusting the bottoms of their still-bandaged feet off, Raven pulls on the shoes. They hadn't meant to get something for themself, but these shoes just looked so pretty, bright green stars plastered all over the canvas.  
Once they're done, they carefully fold the new clothes into a tidy bundle and begin walking again. The shoes are making their feet kind of sore, but at least they were protected from the cold now.  
Raven pads up to the cave, peering inside to confirm Noelle was still there. The trip had taken longer than anticipated, hopefully Noelle hadn’t been too bored sitting in a cave for several hours... Oh good, they were thankfully still here, and Raven gives a little wave before walking in. "Here you go!" They chirp, handing the bundle of clothes over.  
"Wow! Where did you find these?" Noelle asks, staring down at the clothes with raised eyebrows.  
"The store in town, I just stole them." Raven shrugs, shifting their weight from side to side and looking away.  
"Wait, you stole them?!" They gasp, and Raven suppresses a flinch at their tone.   
"Yep!" They chirp, grinning as happily as they can manage. Hopefully Noelle wouldn't react too badly...  
Noelle stares at them for a long moment. "That is impressive. Hey... I have an idea."   
Phew, that was a relief. Raven leans forward, tilting their head curiously. "Yes?"  
"You and I could steal from that park." Noelle says, startling Raven slightly.  
Raven blinks, a mental image of all the local parks flashing by in their mind. "You mean the one on the other side of the forest?" They ask, wanting to confirm they were thinking of the right place.  
"Yep. I know where the keys are kept each night and how to get in without getting caught. Of course, we'd have to steal food little at a time so that no one notices anything is gone. You in?" Noelle tells Raven their grand plan with a grin.  
They think about it for a minute, weighing the pros and cons. On one hand, free food and a new friend. But on the other hand... they could get in trouble with the police again.  
But... Noelle seemed so nice, and Raven really didn't want to be alone again. They weren't even really sure how old they were anymore, it was hard to remember when they were alone in the forest. Right now, they needed a purpose, a purpose other than searching for ghosts.  
Mind made up, Raven looks them dead in the eye with a firm nod. "I'm in!"  
"Alright! We start our first heist tonight." Noelle nods back.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Noelle's plan was simple; around 10pm they would sneak in and grab the ranger's key to the kitchen, and Raven would stand guard for any danger. They stand crouched outside the building, head swiveling back and forth for any movement. They kept the glowing to a minimum, relying more on sound for now so they wouldn't startle their partner in crime or get spotted by any passerbys. It was getting pretty late, that part of sunset where everything seems a lot darker than usual.  
Lucky for them, the heist goes off without a hitch. Raven listens as Noelle approaches again, sneaking back out with a small armful of stolen goods and hiding their tracks. Then, they both take off into the night, running silently until they reach the safety of the cave.  
"Woah, that was way easier than stealing from a normal store!" Raven says, panting slightly as they catch their breath. The adrenalin of being in a raid again had them shaking a bit, but that was alright since it was so much fun.  
"Yep, once I got past their security it became easy as cake." Noelle smiles, placing all the food on the ground between them.  
Raven gasps, bouncing on the spot in excitement. "Can there be cake?!"  
"Maybe," Noelle giggles. "We can steal some cake next time. What kind of cake do you like?"  
"Chocolate!! But any cake will do~" Raven chants the word 'cake' to themself a few times, dancing a tiny bit in excitement.  
"Nice! Chocolate is the best." Noelle smiles, and Raven bobs their head.  
"What other things can we get?" Raven says while plopping down on the ground, already thinking of all the foods they hadn't eaten in a while.  
"There's plenty of food in the supply. But we gotta be careful or they'll notice some has gone missing." Their partner in crime cautions.  
"Oh, right right..." Raven mumbles, trying to hold back their enthusiasm. Getting greedy now would only succeed in getting them caught.  
"We can keep collecting little by little so we can have a large pile though." Noelle smiles, trying to lift their spirits.  
"Yeah, that sounds good!" Raven chirps softly, not letting themself stay sad for too long. They just had to be careful, and there would even be CAKE.  
"Woo!" Noelle cheers happily, before pausing for a moment. "Also it's gotten rather late, huh? I'm beat."  
Raven blinks slowly, peering out of the cave at the night sky. "Oh- darkness."  
"I'm gonna go sleep now, it's been a long day for me." Noelle says as they pull a blanket out of their bag.  
Raven nods, standing up with a huff and walking towards the cave entrance. "Alrighty, I'll let you sleep. If you need anything, give a shout!" They wave a bit, walking out into the cool night air.  
"I will! Good night new friend!" Noelle calls from behind them, voice echoing ever so slightly.  
Those words freeze Raven in their tracks, standing just outside the cave with wide eyes. "...Friend?" Raven whispers under their breath, a fluttery feeling blooming warmth in their chest.  
Friend… they hadn’t been called that word in a long time… It was nice.  
Walking a short distance away, Raven finds a sturdy tree within earshot of the cave and begins digging. Soon, a decent sized hole is made, and they crawl into the chilly earth with a yawn. Sleeping in the dirt, while not exactly very clean, wasn't so bad. It was comfy and warm in the winter months, and the smell of rich soil was pleasing to their sensitive nose.  
After such an eventful day, Raven is grateful to finally be able to rest. But, with their new friend sleeping nearby, they need to stay alert. If anything happened while they were busy dreaming... Raven would never forgive themself. So for now, catnaps would have to suffice.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About a week or two later, the two had managed to stockpile a decent amount of stolen food. Raven felt deliriously content, energy flowing through their marrow with a healthy hum. They tried not eat too much, that would just make them sick, and it was such a waste.  
That night, they sneak out to the park for their daily raid, but stop just short. The entire area was covered in police tape, and multiple officers could be seen patrolling the area. Careful to remain silent, they slink away without being spotted.  
Raven knew it was too good to be true, such a surplus of food doesn't usually come that easy. Somehow their grand scheme had been discovered, but at least they hadn't been caught.  
They sit in the cave for a long while in silence, and Raven tried to think of what to do. Without a steady supply of food, their pile would run out eventually. They could hunt, but they weren't sure if Noelle would be happy with them bringing a dead animal back to the cave.  
They'd known each other for a little while now, though. Noelle didn't seem like the kind of person who would freak out at such a thing, and they had gone four months alone before now. Being out there alone was tough, and to survive one often had to do some less than desirable things.  
In all their time searching the forest, Raven had only found Noelle. Sure, there were others that wandered into the forest, but most of them were hikers or idiots. Every once in a while, some little kid would get lost, crying loudly in the middle of nowhere. Raven would find them, and bring them back to the edge of the city, even walking in with some of the youngest ones until they were safe at home again.  
But Noelle was different, they were another runaway child like Raven was. They didn't want to be found, in fact, had Raven found them sooner Noelle might have even been able to join the gang. Rat would have surely accepted the witty teen into their band of misfits... Rat, he was still missing.  
Just... gone, without even a trace. Alley was a similar story, it was as though the teens had vanished into thin air. The only thing that kept Raven going through all their searching was Bone, him being safe with Frederick meant more than they could have ever hoped for. If Bone was gone, Raven would have been happy to disappear too, but they needed to find their friends, for him.  
The words tumble out of their mouth before Raven has a chance to stop them. "Before we met, did you see any other kids in the forest?" They ask, glancing over at the other hesitantly.  
Noelle thinks for a long moment, before shaking their head slowly. "I haven't."  
"Oh... okay," Raven tries to contain their disappointment, forcing a small smile. "If you do see anyone, could you tell them Raven's looking for them, please?"  
"Sure, I will!" Noelle says, and now Raven's smile is real.  
"Thanks, their names are Rat and Alley!" They sigh in relief, hands twitching minutely. Slowly, Raven reaches out and wraps Noelle in an awkward hug, which they thankfully return. After a moment, Raven backs away again.

Noelle seems to watch them with apprehension for a long moment, conflict evident in their eyes. Raven tries very hard to remain neutral, not wanting to scare the other teen into remaining quiet. Finally, they speak, confessing something to Raven that they hadn't quite expected.  
Noel was a were.  
"A were? Like, one of those wolf guys?" Raven asks after a moment to process the information, tilting their head from side to side thoughtfully.  
"Yeah, but instead of a wolf I'm a cat." Noelle answers carefully, watching Raven's movements with a nervous air.  
Raven smiles at them, trying to convey that they weren't a threat. "A cat! Is it fun being a cat?" They wonder aloud, trying to think of what it must be like to have a tail. Their hearing must be better as well, those large fluffy ears perfectly fit to catch every little sound.  
Noelle blinks, seemingly happy with their response. "Oh, yeah it is! I mean, I lose control of myself on the full moon and that's not fun. But I can freely change form whenever I like."  
"That's so cool! Cats are really soft and nice!" Raven squints their eyes closed momentarily, imagining the softness of petting a cat.  
"Yeah, I love cats!" Noelle nods in agreement.  
"Oh!" Raven chirps, a sudden thought coming to them and bouncing forward slightly. "Can you purr too?"  
"Um, I think so. I've never really done it before." They shrug uncertainty. Without another word, Raven slowly reaches out to pat their head, startling both of them when Noelle actually starts purring. "Well, what do ya know, I can purr. Hehe, this is quite nice..."  
Raven gasps softly at the sound, voice rumbling in their throat to match Noelle's pitch. "Purr friend!" They grin, eyes unwittingly glowing bright in content before they manage to get it back under control.   
Leaning away in embarrassment, Raven glances over at Noelle, unsure if they had seen the unusual light. They don't look too bothered, luckily. Guess they both had more in common than Raven had first thought.

...

They spend the next few hours bouncing ideas, trying to plan for when their food supply ran out. Eventually, they decide on trying to catch a deer. It should be big enough to sustain them for a while.  
Raven winces at the memory af their last deer encounter, but maybe with Noelle's help things would go better this time. They brainstorm different trap ideas, before running out into the forest together. They spend some time building, and hide nearby in wait. Staying still is difficult, Raven is used to being in constant motion. But with time, a deer appears, thankfully walking right into the trap.  
Once it’s dead they drag it back to the cave, and Raven dresses the corpse while Noelle builds a fire. Dinner is delicious, they'd gotten used to snacky foods again lately, so fresh meat was a welcome change. After they're done eating, Raven curls up near the back of the cave and dozes.

A few hours later, Noelle confesses that they're leaving the next day. Raven tries to contain their sadness at the news. Noelle had places to be, they were just passing through, Raven already knew this... but it still kind of hurt. A part of them understood, though. Raven had been neglecting their search too, Rat and Alley weren't going to find themselves after all.

Raven makes sure to say goodbye with a smile, waving excitedly as Noelle leaves the forest. They promise to meet up again sometime in the future, hopefully soon.  
And then Noelle walks away. Raven stays standing still for a long time, trying to find the will to move. They do, they always do.

The search continues...


	8. Smundig

Raven had failed. They weren't too surprised, just another road bump in the trainwreck of their life. How long had they been searching? Combing the forest for days at a time, so many sleepless nights, barely eating… And all for nothing, Rat and Alley were nowhere to be found. It had been so long, it was hard to remember their names or what they sounded like…

They must have gone over the entire forest by now, the only place Raven hadn’t checked yet was the city.

For all they knew, the people they were looking for might have even moved on already. Would they be adults by now? They could have new friends, a job, a life.

...Maybe Raven should move on too.

 

Their vision had been going downhill for years now, and while it normally wasn't an issue since they didn't need to read, it had gotten bad enough that hunting was difficult.

When was the last time they ate something? Handfuls of grass had been keeping them going, but they can't hunt anymore. A stomach full of garbage only kept the hunger away, but it didn’t replenish their energy. As dangerous as it was, Raven had to go back to the city. The forest couldn't protect them anymore, all it can do is lead it's child to where they need to go.

Something else is calling them, but it was unfamiliar. Whatever they were going to, it wasn't the forest. It felt... chaotic. So many different things whirling together at the same time, Raven wasn't really sure, some parts of it felt kind of like the forest, but most of it didn't. In response to this strange new energy, their eyes light up with a sickly green glow, flickering weakly for a few moments. That... wasn't good. They needed energy, food, now.

 

Stealing food from somewhere would be easy enough, maybe they could even check the date and find out how old they were now. It had been a while, months, years? Hard to tell. Raven shakes their head slightly, it was getting really hard to think, they needed to hurry.

With a blink, Raven looks up to the rapidly darkened sky as it begins to rain. It starts off slow, but soon becomes overwhelming.

The rain felt good though, soaking their hair and clothes. Raven trudges silently through the mud, wrapping their arms around their shaking form with a huff. As nice as the rain was, they couldn't sleep outside right now. In the past, they would seek shelter in the closest abandoned building at the edge of the city. They would have to wait for the rain to die down, then hopefully find some food. Raven doubts they could sneak into a store in their current state, it would attract too much attention. Trash cans? Ugh, guess it was garbage for dinner then.

If things got bad enough, maybe they could seek out that nice doctor man. His, his name… was, what was it? Franklin? That, sounded close, but not quite. Whatever, he could be doctor man for now, names can wait until Raven’s eaten something, and maybe slept. Sleep was a thing normal humans did, right?

The outline of buildings was just barely visible through the downpour. Raven keeps walking, not bothering to shake away the hair that had fallen over their eyes. It was getting pretty long again, full of more knots and tangles than was worth brushing out, guess it was time for a haircut.

But first, shelter, they need to focus. The streets were completely empty right now, most people rushing to get out of the rain. Raven eyes the nearby buildings indecisively, trying to decide which one would be the best to break into. 

One in particular catches their attention, what looks like an office building, and Raven instantly knows it's the right choice. 

Once they've made sure no one is watching, Raven silently tries the door. It’s unlocked, and they walk right on in.

 

No lights are on inside, that was good, hopefully it meant the building was empty. Raven lets their eyes glow brighter, glancing around at the vague unmoving shapes as they let the door swing to a close. Walking a little farther in and tracking mud on the floor behind them, Raven prepares to find a place to sleep. They don't even notice the yellow eyes glowing back at them from around the corner until it's too late.

"Hello?" The stranger calls out slowly, causing Raven to startle violently. 

Instinctively, Raven drops to all fours with a growl, eyes wide in fear. Someone was already here, they had to leave, they had to-

"I mean no harm! See?" The other says with raised hands, before carefully laying down on the floor. She was even making soft noises, a friendly yellow glow coming from her eyes. Raven pauses, suppressing the urge to flee and tilting their head to try and get a better look. Slowly, they crawl forward to inspect the stranger.

She was unlike anything Raven had ever seen, a long purple tail poking out from her lab coat, and even a set of horns atop her head. Raven stares at her for a long time, trying to decide what to do. They really didn't want to go back out into the rain again...

Mind made up, they lower themself to the floor, making sure to remain alert for any sign of danger. "Hello!" Raven greets cautiously.

“Hello, did you come here to seek shelter from the rain?” She asks, looking slightly uncomfortable but remaining perfectly still.

Raven pats the ground with their hands anxiously, glancing away for a moment. “I-I just saw this place and wanted to get warm! Is that bad?” They look back to the stranger, watching intently.

“N-No! Not at all! You can get warm here, don’t be afraid!” She reassures. 

 

Suddenly, Raven's vision goes spotty, and they blink rapidly to try and clear it. 

Once their vision thankfully clears, Raven slowly tilts their head. "What are you?" Raven asks before they can stop themself. But they were really curious.

She blinks, hesitating for a moment. “I-I’m a dragon… B-But please don’t be afraid! I’m not that bad” She whimpers softly.

Raven continues to watch her curiously. A dragon, huh? That was pretty cool, if she had been part of the old gang, she could have had the role 'dragon'. That would be a cool role, wouldn't it? She reminded Raven of the forest, too.

"I trust you!" Raven smiles, pushing themself up off the ground and sitting upright, before gesturing the other up as well. She sits up slowly, stretching since she'd been still for so long. "Glow buddies!" Raven chirps, echoing their old conversation with Bone.

She blinks, staring back at Raven for a moment. "Glow buddies, nice ring to it." With a smile, her tail slowly begins wagging. Raven watches with interest, scooting forward and reaching out to feel the soft purple scales.

"It's real!" Raven smiles, enjoying the smooth feeling.

“It’s as real as I am; by the way, I am Myth. What’s your name?” She says, watching as Raven pats her tail.

"I'm Raven!" They chirp happily, eyes squinting shut briefly.

“Come with me, we’ll get you warmed up-” Myth said as she slowly stood up, causing Raven to flinch slightly. In response, she immediately flops to the ground with a thump. "I mean no harm! I just wanna help!" She whines slightly.

Raven blinks down at her, wincing at the noise. That looked like it hurt... "I trust you! I just was a little surprised!" Raven chirps softly, smiling down at her. She sighs in relief, getting up and dusting herself off for a moment before starting to walk farther into the building. Raven follows her into an office, where she pulled some blankets and towels out of a cabinet.

"Here, you can dry yourself with these." Myth passes over the towels first, then the blankets. After a moment of hesitation, Raven takes them, drying off their soaked hair first. Once they finish, hair sticking up wildly in all directions, they start trying to dry off their clothes. Being in wet clothes was uncomfortable, even just damp clothes, but it would have to do.

Myth watches them with a smile, but notices the trail of mud that Raven left behind. "The janitor isn't going to be pleased with me..." She sighs, and Raven feels a twinge of regret at making such a mess. There's nothing much they can do about it right now though, so they just wrap the blankets around themself with a purr.

Surprisingly, Myth begins purring too. "You can stay here the night if you wish." She smiles, sitting down in the corner of the room. Raven watches her in silence with what they hope is a meaningful expression. "Yes?" She asks, staring back curiously.

Raven gestured for her to come closer, laying down on the floor. "You should rest here!" Raven smiles, curling into a ball under the warm blankets. Myth hesitates, before laying down nearby and curling up under another blanket.

 

Raven hadn't slept near another living being since... gosh, since that one blonde teen wandered into the forest. What was their name again? It was… it started with an M, no… that didn’t sound right. Ugh, remembering names right now was making their head hurt... 

Trusting someone enough to be vulnerable next to them took a lot of courage, courage that Raven didn’t exactly have. Despite the fact that Raven trusted Myth, they were still unsure, a conflicted fluttering feeling sitting heavy in their stomach. Or, maybe that was all the grass digesting. But they were so tired... bleary eyes sliding shut unwittingly against the darkness, the weak green glow flickering dimly.

A sudden loud crash from outside startles Raven back awake, adrenalin shooting through their limbs and eyes glowing slightly brighter. The rain from before had developed into a terrifyingly noisy storm, it was a really good thing Raven had found shelter in time... 

But, they were fully awake now, hands shaking minutely. They stare wide eyed at the blurry room for a long time, kicking their legs slowly against the smooth flooring. Glancing over at the already sleeping Myth, Raven considers maybe just leaving, getting something to eat perhaps... they chew on their shirt collar in thought.

...No, too much work to get up. Instead, Raven watches their sleeping friend for a long moment, before deciding to take a chance and crawling closer to her. With a huff, they carefully lie next to her, curling into a tight ball and pressing their back against her.

"...Warm..." Raven mumbles softly, finally closing their eyes and drifting into an uneasy sleep.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Where... where were they? Raven was used to nightmares by now, but this was... different. This place was jumbled, so many different vague components mashed together. A huge gnarled tree, cloudy skies, so many different ripped up houses... but they don't recognize any of it.

Or... do they? Their memories have been so jumbled since, since...

It's been so long, so so long. They can't even remember, maybe all this stuff is from back then. Yeah, that makes sense, all this chaotic stuff must be from their past.

Raven looks around the scattered memories silently. Waiting for something, anything, to happen. Was there a point to this dream? Nothing’s really happening, it was actually kind of boring.

Why were they even seeing this in the first place? What-

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

"Good morning child!" Someone yells, bursting into the room with a loud noise and instantly jolting Raven awake. Instinctively, Raven scrambles across the smooth floor, sliding underneath a large desk that happens to be nearby. Heart racing wildly, Raven lodges themself as far back as possible, teeth bared slightly.

"Woah! Bee please!" Raven hears Myth say, before she came into view, crouching next to the desk in concern. "It's alright, she won't hurt you!" Myth tries to reassure them, and Raven cautiously edges forward just enough to peer up at... Bee, was it? That must be it, since she has what appears to be a strange bee mask covering half her face.

Just then, movement in the doorway catches their attention as another person approached. A taller man with brown hair and glasses, from what they could see.

"Why are you in my office?" He asks, sounding extremely confused. He catches sight of Raven, and they quickly retreat back under the desk in fear. How were they gonna get out of this mess? The door was blocked, and that was the only exit... maybe they could run really fast past them and out the door, but what if they get grabbed- Okay, breathe, gotta just... need to breathe-

"Both of you, lower down onto your stomachs-" Raven can just barely make out Myth whisper to the strangers.

"I beg your pardon?" The guys muffled voice responds. Raven can't really see what's happening very well from under the desk, but the first stranger gets down on the ground. The man stays standing, however. After a moment Myth gets up and walks over to the other two. 

Suddenly, the man topples to the ground with a cry. "Ow! Hey!" He growls in anger. Myth flops down next to him with a huff.

Raven can hear them talking, but in their panic the words still sound muffled. When nothing happens, they peer out again from under the desk. The three were still on the ground, staring back with a range of different expressions. Myth still looked concerned, Bee looked curious, and the guy looked kind of annoyed.

Ever so slowly, Raven crawls out on all fours, keeping their head as low as possible. That guy had said this was his office, so they were on his territory right now and needed to be respectful. He tries to stand when they approach, causing Raven to freeze on the spot.

Luckily, Myth holds him down, but Raven doesn't dare approach any closer, simply staring at them with wide eyes.

"Hello darling, who might you be?" Bee asks with a warm smile. Raven watches her for a moment, before glancing at Myth for approval. The dragon nods back without a word.

Well, if Myth trusted these people, then... "I'm Raven!" They chirp softly with a smile, instantly coming to like this curious group. Maybe they were like the old gang, too! Glancing over at the only other stranger, Raven waits patiently for him to introduce himself.

"I'm the boss here," He huffs in annoyance. A boss? So he was the leader of this group. "I am Chiv and you're all in my office when I have plenty of work to do." Oh, Raven glanced up at the exit, still blocked by their new friends. Maybe they should go, they didn't want to get on this guys bad side when they’d only just met him.

"Come on grouch, be nice to my new adopted child!" Bee grins, causing both Raven and Myth to blink in surprise. Child? They, wait... what?

Did they just get adopted? That was, uh, interesting... Raven stays crouched on the ground as the three others stand, arguing back and forth.

 

They couldn’t get adopted, they had places to be, people to find! But… they seemed so nice, and Raven was really lonely…

Would it be so bad if they were selfish just this once?

 

Mind racing, Raven darts forward and under Chiv's legs, sliding out of the room. He shouts in surprise, startling violently at the sudden movement. Raven doesn't stick around to find out how he reacts, scrambling out into the main area of the office and quickly finding a new hiding spot.

They would stay here for now, though. These people seemed really friendly, they could leave again once they were feeling better... Staying here wouldn't be so bad, right?

 


End file.
